Perry Conservation District
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Submitted by the: Perry Conservation District June 30, 2014 2 Table of Contents Perry County Description 3 Water Resources/Quality 3 Perry County Impaired Streams Map 4 Current Conservation Programs and Recent Accomplishments 5 – 8 Most Effective Approaches to Address Needs 9 Perry County Conservation District Strategy 9 - 11 Expected Results 11 Sources 11 3 A. Perry County Description Perry County is located in the South Central DEP district and lies completely within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. It encompasses 554 square miles, and is bordered on the east by the Susquehanna River and on the west by the Tuscarora State Forest. Sixty percent of its 354,560 acres are forest land, 25 percent or 88,640 acres is in agricultural use, and the remaining 15% or 53,184 acres is in residential use. According to the 2010 Census, Perry County’s total population is 45,965 with a population density of 83.4 persons per square mile. Perry County is rural for the most part, with 70% of its working population employed outside of the county. Education, health and social services are important industries in the county. Perry County agriculture is the leading industry in the county with $140,401,000 in total sales (2012 Pennsylvania Ag Statistics). Livestock and livestock product sales totaled more than $112,674,000 and Perry County’s 81,253 acres of field crops and forages sales, along with sales from Christmas trees, nurseries and greenhouses had a combined total value of $27,727,000 in 2012. Perry County has about 889 farms averaging 152 acres each for a total of 135,075 acres.(2012 NASS) There are about 384 cattle operations including dairy & beef, 65 hog farms, 146 poultry farms and 33 sheep farms. These operations have about 30,000 AEU (Animal Equivalent Units) of livestock and about 46,731 AEU of poultry. B. Water Resources/Quality Perry County can be divided into three large DEP designated watersheds which all drain to the Susquehanna River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. They are 1) Sherman Creek – CBP 7A; 2) Buffalo, Little Buffalo – CBP 7B; and other small tributaries to the Juniata River; and 3) Bargers Run, Hunters Valley Run – CBP 6C; Bucks Run and other small tributaries to the Susquehanna River. A Perry County impaired streams map can be found on page 4. Reductions in sediment and nutrients in these watersheds will directly improve the water conditions in the Chesapeake Bay. Under the provisions of Chapter 93 of the Clean Streams Law, Laurel Run from the north branch basin source to the south branch is classified as an Exceptional Value stream. The headwaters of Sherman Creek, all of Little Buffalo Creek, and Laurel Run from the south branch basin source to the north branch, and from the confluence with the north branch south to T 339 are classified as High Quality. Perry County is also home to a number of approved trout stocking streams and several Class A Wild Trout Waters. All of Perry County’s 303d listed streams except Laurel Run and Little Valley Creek are impaired due to excessive sediment and nutrient loads. DEP personnel have identified agriculture as the primary source of the excess nutrient and sediment loads. Waters impaired due to agriculture account for about 5% of the total stream miles in the County. 4 5 C. Current Conservation Programs and Recent Accomplishments The Perry Conservation District has a long tradition (since 1950) of working with its cooperating agencies to oversee the implementation of a wide variety of natural resource conservation programs including those aimed at reducing soil erosion and managing nutrients especially on agricultural operations. The following highlights summarize more recent accomplishments. Conservation Planning Working conservation plans, in addition to helping the farmer meet State and Federal requirements, provide the farmer with a blueprint for managing his land while minimizing erosion problems. The conservation plan can also identify BMPs that need to be maintained or installed so the farmer can make financial and land use planning decisions based on identified conservation needs. Much of this technical assistance is provided through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) who writes ~50 plans representing ~2500 ac/year. The Conservation District has also provided cost share funding to cooperators through the Chesapeake Bay Special Projects program to hire a technical service provider to develop plans for 5-10 farmers annually. Agricultural Outreach & Education Perry County Conservation District has engaged in a comprehensive outreach effort to inform all county farm operators, landowners and livestock animal owners of their responsibilities under the Pennsylvania Chapter 102 Ag erosion, sediment & storm water management and Pennsylvania Chapter 91 Ag pollution control and prevention regulations. Through this program, a representative from the District will meet with all farm operators, landowners, and animal owners in the county by 2017 and provide them information on current regulations. In 2013, 100 outreach visits were conducted. Part of this outreach effort is to also plan and conduct Manure Management Plan Writing workshops for livestock animal owners in Perry County. In 2013, two workshops were held assisting 16 livestock owners with writing a manure management plan. Pennsylvania Resource Enhancement and Protection Program The Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Program allows farmers and businesses to earn tax credits in exchange for "Best Management Practices" (BMPs) on agricultural operations that will enhance farm production and protect natural resources. The program is administered by the State Conservation Commission (Commission) and the tax credits are awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Eligible applicants may receive between 50% and 75% of project costs as state tax credits for up to $150,000 per agricultural operation. The amount of tax credit available to a recipient is dependent on the type of BMP implemented. The Conservation District’s role in this program is to determine farm operator’s eligibility, verify their Conservation and Manure Management Plans are current and implemented and assist with the PA REAP application process. In 2013 $254,000 in PA State Tax credits were awarded to Perry County Farmers with Conservation District assistance. Chapter 102 Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program The District administers the State Erosion Control Program. State Law requires all earthmoving activities such as land development, logging and agriculture operations, to develop and implement erosion control plans that meet State engineering standards. In 2013 approximate accomplishments were: 27 plans reviewed, 10 NPDES permits issued, 17 complaints handled, 38 site inspections and 142 technical assistances. Dirt & Gravel Road Program The district administers the Dirt and Gravel Road program which receives approximately $40,000 a year in funding to improve gravel roads in a manner to reduce erosion, run-off and dust. In 2013, Jackson Twp. was contracted $50,000.00 to improve Robinson Road. 6 Conservation Tillage One of the greatest areas of success in Perry County has been the transition from conventional tillage to conservation tillage by the County’s farmers. A large percentage of Perry County farmers have already adopted and implemented conservation and minimum tillage farming practices. According to a tillage survey completed by Capital RD&C in 2012, 51% of acres planted were planted using no-till with surface residue at 30 % or more and 50% of acres were planted with other methods (reduced tillage, mulch-till, conventional tillage.) The Perry Conservation District promotes the use of no-till planting through its no-till equipment rental program. The current program includes 4 no-till grain drills capable of planting forages, pasture mixtures, commodity crops, cover crops, wildlife food plots and native grasses. In 2013 district owned machines were used to plant ~3,800 acres in Perry County, from 2005 through 2013 total rental acres have increased approximately 10% per year. Another means of promoting the use of no-till farming has been the recent formation of the Perry County No-till Group, and no-till, farmer to farmer based interest group that meets 3-4 times per year with Conservation District oversight. This group offers all levels of information from no-till beginners to long term no-tillers. Farmland Preservation Another success story in Perry County is Land Preservation. Recognizing the threat of urban sprawl on the natural resources of the County the District has been instrumental in promoting land preservation for over two decades. Urban sprawl can have many adverse environmental impacts. One major impact is that urban sprawl generally will create more impervious areas which results in more runoff to area streams. This “extra” runoff can substantially accelerate stream bank erosion resulting in increases in sediment and nutrient loadings In 1996, the fruition of years of effort was realized when Perry County’s first farm was preserved with a conservation easement. The District now administers the State Farmland Preservation program, its own woodland/open space easement program and assists the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy (CPC) on any land preservation projects within the county. To date 8000 acres have been preserved (or are under agreement of sale) with the County Farmland Preservation program by 53 conservation easements. These acres are inspected annually. This program focus is a high priority with the District. Chesapeake Bay Program Many projects have been completed in Perry County under the State Chesapeake Bay Cost-Share Program since its inception in 1990. In 2013 Chesapeake Bay Special Project funds were used to: trade/upgrade/purchase and new Land Pride model 606NT pasture drill, contract a Technical service provider to write 5 conservation and manure management plans and trade/purchase/upgrade one of the Districts John Deere model 1590 no-till grain drills. Nutrient Management The PA Nutrient Management Act became law in 1993 and went into effect October 1, 1997.